Beet harvester



Jan. E3, 1953 J. w. oRENDoRFF 2,624,997

BEET HARVESTER Filed April 9, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 13, 1953 J. w. oRENDoRFF 2,624,997

BEET HARVESTER Filed April 9, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 13, 1953 J. w. oRENDoRFF BEET HARVESTER Filed April 9, 1945 V4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 13, 1953 J, w. oRENDoRl-F 2,524,997

BERT HARVESTER File@ April 9, vv1945 v 4 sheets-sheetA 4 ,Ef/f9.4

| I l I am! n l l Patented Jan. 13, 1953 BEET HARVESTER John W. Orendorff, Canton, Ill., assigner to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application April 9, 1945, Serial No. 587,271

Claims.

This invention relates to agricultural imple- 'ments and particularly to harvesters. More specifically, the invention relates to a harvester for beets and the like.

The beet harvester described hereinv includes a tractor which provides a mobile support for the harvester mechanism and supplies the motive power for propelling the machine across the field. Thebeet tops are removed by a mechanism mounted at the forward end of the tractor, whereupon the beets are separated from the soil byv diggers and carried rearwardly by a conveyor. The beets are then delivered to an elevator which carries the beets upwardly and rearwardly and drops them into a truck connected to the tractor to trail therebehind. The truck is of the dumping type, and power for operating the topper, conveyor, elevator, and truck is supplied by the tractor.

In order to properly discharge beets into the truck the mouth of the elevator must, of course, be reasonably close thereto, and when manipulating the truck it is important that clearance be provided for the elevator to prevent interference with the truck. It should also be noted that the elevator of an agricultural harvester is generally bulky and heavy, and the distribution of its weight is an important factor in the proper operation of the harvester.

An object of the present invention is the provision of an improved beet harvester.

Another object is to provide an agricultural machine comprising a plurality of implement parts and power means for controlling the operation of these parts.

vAnother object is to provide, in combination with a tractor, a harvesting machine having a number of movable parts and power means operated by the .tractor and controlled therefrom for .manipulating said parts;

A further object is to provide in a harvester including a truck or other receptacle and an elevator for delivering material thereto, means for imparting translationalA movement to the elevator to bring it nearer to the tractor during operation of the truck, in order to vavoid interference therewith, or to improve the distribution of weight during transport and the like.

Other objects and advantages lwill become clear from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a tractor with one rear wheel removed, showing a beet harvester embodying the features of the present invention attached thereto;

Figure 2 is a continuation of Figure 1 and shows the upper end of the elevator and its relationship to the dump truck attached to the rear end of the tractor to receive harvested vegetables;

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation similar to Figure l, showing only the rear portion of the tractor with the implement parts in raised position;

Figure 4 is a plan view from the right side of the tractorof the conveyor which delivers the beets to the elevator; and

Figure 5 is a side elevation from the left side of the tractor of the conveyor showing-the driving mechanism therefor.

Referring to the drawings, numeral I0 designates the longitudinallyy extending body of a tractor having front wheels I I, a transverse rear axle I2, and rear wheels I3. The front wheels II are steerable from a steering mechanism indicated at I4 accessible to the operators station I5.

Prior to separation of the beets from the soil and gathering them in the truck attached to the rear end of the tractor, the beets are topped; that is, the foliage growing from the top of the beet is severed and removed. This is accomplished by a mechanism shown attached to the front end of the tractor generally indicated by the numeral I6 and including a feeler gauge Il and a revolving fdisk I8. This is the topping mechanism for the beets and will not be described in detail herein. The topping mechanism is supported, upon a transverse tool bar I9 aiiixed to a. plate-20 secured to the side of the tractor. The gauge I1 is adjusted with respect to the cutter diskv by a mechanism including an arm.2I mounted upon a transverse shaft 22. A rod 23 connected to arm 2I has its other end connected to a lever 24 pivoted upon a quadrant 25 mounted upon the steering gear standard 26.

After the tops have been removed from the beets, the beets are separated from the ground by a digging mechanism generally indicated at 21. The digger includes digging blades 28 carried by a standard 29 supported at the rear ends of a pair of vertically spaced parallel links 3D and 3l. The forward ends of the links are pivotally connected respectively to brackets 32 and 33 affixed to a transverse tool bar 34 supported by a bracket 35 mounted upon the side of the tractor. The upper parallel link 3I has its rear end pivotally mounted in a bearing 36 to which is attached a link 31, the other end of which is connected to an arm 38 secured to a transverse shaft 39. Shaft 39 is supported by one or more 3 brackets 4D attached to the side of the tractor. Shaft 39 extends transversely 0f the tractor and to the other side thereof, and is provided at its other end with an arm 4| indicated in dotted lines in Figures l and 3.

Referring particularly to Figure 3, it will be noted that shaft 39 and, therefore, arms 38 and 4| mounted thereon are rocked in a generally forward and rearward direction by a power lift mechanism including a. hydraulic cylinder 42 anchored at one end upon a bracket 43 secured to the housing 44 for the rear axle I2. Cylinder 42 has a piston 45 connected to the arm 4| to effect forward and rearward rocking movement thereof. The cylinder 42 is preferably a doubleacting hydraulic cylinder receiving fluid under pressure from an oil pump indicated at 46. Mechanism, not shown, may be provided at a location accessible to the tractor operator for controlling the operation of the cylinder.

In Figure 1 it will also be observed that a link in the form of a telescoping member 41 includes a sleeve 48 attached to the arm 38 and a shaft 49 attached to an arm 50 affixed to the transverse shaft 22. Shaft 49 is also provided with a collar for abutment against the end of sleeve 48. Rocking of shaft 22, by movement of arm 50, causes the topping mechanism to move vertically to and from operating position. This is accomplished by the hydraulic cylinder shown in Figure 3, operating through arms 4| and 38 and transmitting motion through member 41 to arm 50 secured to the shaft 22. It will also be noted that through the connection of link 31 with arm 38 that the digging mechanism 21 will likewise be moved vertically to and from operating position substantially simultaneously with movement of the topping mechanism. However, due to the telescoping of link member 41 and the position of collar 5| the topping mechanism I6 is permitted a limited amount of free floating movement.

Upon separation of the beets from the soil by the digging mechanism 21, they are carried upwardly due to the disposition and angle of penetration of the blades 28 and are received by a conveyor mechanism generally indicatedat 52. In order to support the conveyor 52 for movement to and from operating position, a bracket 53 is provided on the rear of bearing 36, and secured to bracket 53 are arms 54, shown in Figures 3 and 5, the lower ends of which are pivotally connected to the forward endsr of a pair of laterally spaced, longitudinally extending plates 55 clearly shown in Figure 4. A spacer bar 55 is provided between the plates at the lower portion thereof, and the plates are further spaced by transverse shafts 51, a number of which are situated at longitudinally spaced points in the lower portion of plates 55, as clearly shown in the drawings. Between the plates 55, the shafts 51 are provided with circumferentially spaced radially extending fingers 58, the fingers on adjacent shafts being interlaced to prevent contact therebetween and to provide support for beets carried thereover. By driving the shafts 51 and thus causing the fingers 58 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Figure l, the beets are carried rearwardly to an elevator hereinafter to be described. Fingers 56a are provided on bar 56 which extend rearwardly beyond the rearmost shaft 51 and prevent beets falling through between the cleaner and the elevator. The shafts 51 are driven by a mechanism including a sprocket wheel 59, drivingly connected by a chain 60 to a sprocket 6| mounted upon a transverse shaft 62, rotatably mounted in the upwardly projecting end of bracket 63 affixed to one of the plates 55. Another sprocket 64 mounted on shaft 62 is driven by a chain 65 trained around a sprocket 66 carried by a shaft 61 mounted upon the side of the tractor. Shaft 61 also carries a larger sprocket 68 which is drivingly connected by a chain 69 to a smaller sprocket 10 carried by a power take-off shaft 1|, driven by the tractor power plant. Drive is thus transmitted from sprocket 10 through shafts 61 and 62 to sprocket 59 mounted upon one of the shafts 51.

At this point it may also be noted that shaft 61 carries another sprocket 12 which is drivngly connected by a chain 13 to a sprocket 14 mounted on the shaft 22. Drive is transmitted from sprocket 14 to rotate cutter disk I8 through a mechanism which, per se, forms no part of this invention. A description thereof may be found in United States Patent No. 2,458,795.

On the inner endsof each of the shafts 51 there are keyed sprockets 15 (see Figure 5) having trained therearoud an endless chain 16. The upper course of chain 16 is maintained in engagement with the upper portion of sprockets 15 by idler sprockets 11 on shafts 18 mounted upon the inner plate 55, one of the sprockets 11 being placed between each pair of sprockets 15. The lower course of chain 16 is held out of contact with thel sprockets intermediate the end sprockets by another sprocket wheel 19, on a stub shaft rotatably mounted in an extension 8| projecting downwardly from left-hand plate 55. Drive is thus transmitted from sprocket 59 to sprockets 15 to rotate the shafts 51 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figures l and 3. The beets dug by the blades 28 vand received by the conveyor 52 are thus carried rearwardly by the fingers 58, and it should be clear that the action of fingers 58 is such that the beets will be bounced up and down or shaken as they are conveyed rearwardly, so that dirt adhering thereto is loosened and drops downwardly. Conveyor 52 thus functions as a combined shaker and conveyor.

The beets conveyed rearwardly by the shaker 52 are received by an elevator generally indicated at 82. Conveyor 82 includes laterally spaced side walls 83, and a foraminated bottom 84, through which foreign material may be passed as the beets are advanced by the elevator. Elevator 82 is secured to the sides 55 of the shaker 52 by laterally spaced straps 85 secured'to the outside of the side walls 83 and to the laterally spaced side plates 55 of the shaker 52. The elevator 82 extends upwardly andrearwardly, and the lower end thereof andthe rear end of the conveyor are supported by an attaching member in the form of laterally spaced links 86, pivoted upon a transverse shaft 81 mounted in a bracket 88 aflixed to the rear axle housing 44. These links 86 on opposite sides of the elevator extend downwardly, and the lower ends thereof are pivotally connected at 89 to straps forming a cradle in which the elevator is supported. While the connection of straps 85 to the plates 55 on conveyor 52 is rigid, the connection thereof to the side walls 83 of the conveyor 82 is a pivotal one, the straps being mounted upon a transverse shaft 90 extending through the lower portion of the side walls 83 of the conveyor, shaft 90 serving as the point of connection about whichthe elevatbrswings as a pivot. The inner end of the shaft 90. is provided with a sprocket-8|, and the vouter end thereof has keyed thereto a sprocket 92; These serve to drive the elevating mechanism 93, clearly shown in Figure 4, and including spaced transverse members 94 to which are secured outwardly projecting fingers 95. The ends of members 94 are carried upon laterally spaced endless chains 96 trained around sprockets 91 keyed to the shaft 90 between the -walls 83. The upper ends of the chains 06 aretrained around sprockets 91 mounted upon a transverseshaft 98 between plates 83 at their upper ends as shown in Figure 2. In order to transmit drive to the elevator mechanism, an additional sprocket 99 is provided on the inner end of the shaft 51 at the rear of conveyor 52. This sprocket is drivingly connected by a chain to the sprocket 9| on the inner end of shaft 90. Sprocket 92 is drivingly connected by a chain |0| to a sprocket |02 on the' shaft 98. y

The lower portion of the elevator 32 is supported upon the transverse shaft 90 for pivotal movement with respect thereto'. Such pivotal movement is imparted to the `elevator by, mechanism including laterally spaced links |03, one of which is pivotally connected to each side of the elevator 82. These links extend forwardly, and their forward ends are connected to anupwardly extending arm4 |04 affixed to the shaft 81. Arm |014 is connected by a rod |05 'to'. the lifting arm 38, so "that upon lifting the beet topper I6, the digger 21, and the conveyor 52, the rod |05 is moved forwardly, rocking ann |04 in al clockwise direction and swingingv elevator 82 forwardly aboutits pivot at 90.y The lifting of the digger 21, of course, carries with it the front end of conveyor 52, and since the digger mechanism moves upwardly and forwardlyin an arc, the conveyor mechanism similarly moves forwardly. Therefore, due to the pivotal mounting of link 88 upon the shaft 81, link 86 swings forwardly carrying the lower end of the elevator forwardly therewith.

It should thus be clear that the elevator not only swings forwardly about its pivot 90 when the harvester parts are lifted, but also has imparted thereto a translational movement in a generally forward direction, since the pivot 89 also moves forwardly. This is, of course, important when transporting the harvester, inasmuch as the weight of the elevator is more evenly distributed and better carried by the tractor if it is brought closer thereto.

Rearwardly of the elevator is positioned a self-supporting traveling receptacle in the form of a dump truck |06 which is in a position, as indicated in Figure 2, to receive beets discharged from the elevator 82. The dump truck |06 comprises generally a body |01 and a supporting frame |08 carried upon an axle |09 upon which are mounted wheels ||0. The truck is also provided with a forwardly extending draft structure pivotally connected at 2 for lateral swinging movement to a longitudinally extending draw-bar ||3 secured to a bracket H4, as indicated in Figure l, fastened to the side of the tractor'.

As shown in Figure 2, the upper end of elevator 82 overlaps the side walls of the truck body |01 so that beets discharged from the upper end of the elevator will drop into the truck. While the details of construction of the truck |06 form no part of the present invention, it

'6 maybe noted that it is a side delivery' dump truck, and that the body |01 may be moved into the dotted line position shown in Figure 2 about .bination,

its pivotal connection'.||5 to the frame |08. Dumping is accomplished by a pair of laterally spaced hydraulic cylinders ||6 and ||1, connected by flexible pipes ||8 and ||9 to a longitudinally extending pipe |20 connectedY as shown in Figure 3 to the pump 46 on thetractor to receive therefrom fluid-.under pressure in a manner, not shown, similar to cylinder |05, for actuatingA the cylinders ||6 and ||1. Cylinders ||6 and ||1 are anchored to the frame |08 and are provided with pistons |2| and |22 pivotally attached to the body |01 for dumping purposes.

As is clearly indicated in Figure 2,'dumping of the truck |06 cannot safely be accomplished when the elevator 82 vis in position for delivering beets thereto, since the parts are in danger of coming in contact and causing damage. Thus the pivotal movement ofthe elevator 82. serves 'the' double purpose of bringing the elevator closer to the tractor to facilitate transportthereof and. avoiding contact of the elevator and dump truck. It should now be understood that a beet har'- vester has been described which has been provided with a novel mechanism for moving the parts `to and from operating position and for actuating the operating mechanism thereof. Whilethe invention has been described in its preferred embodiment, it should be understood that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope lof the appended claims.

What is claimed is: g f 1. Ina tractive agricultural machine having implementA parts kmovable between operating andnon-operating positions, asconnecting Y mem ber movably mounted on the machine, a Dart pivotally attached to said member for swinging movement with respect to the Vehicle, a cylinder and piston on the machine, means deriving power from the machine for effecting movement of the piston in said cylinder, connecting means between the cylinder and said part to effect swinging movement thereof about its pivot, and separate connecting means between said cylinder and said connecting member for eecting simultaneous movement thereof relative to 'the machine.

2. In an agricultural crop harvester, in coma traveling support, crop-severing mechanism connected to the support, an elevator disposed rearwardly of the crop-severing mechvfanism for conveying severed crops upwardly and rearwardly, a receptacle disposed rearwardly of the elevator having a movable part and conlnected to the support in position to receive mamovable part, and means connecting said power means and said elevator for swinging the elevator about its pivot, including means for simultaneous- 1y swinging said cradle about its pivot.

3. In an agricultural crop harvester, in combination, a traveling support, crop-severing mechanism connected to the support, an elevator disposed rearwardly of the crop-severing mechanism for conveying severed crops upwardly and rearwardly, a receptacle disposed rearwardly of the elevator having a movable part and connected to the support in position to receive material discharged from the elevator, means serving as a cradle pivoted on the support for swinging movement, means pivotally connecting the elevator to said cradle at a location removed from its pivot on the support, a hydraulic cylinder on the support, means connecting said cylinder to the elevator for swinging the latter about its pivot, including means for simultaneously swinging said cradle about its pivot, a hydraulic cylinder on said receptacle for moving said movable part, and means on the support for supplying fluid under pressure to both said cylinders.

4. An agricultural harvester comprising a traveling support, a crop-removing device carried by the support; an elevator for discharging the crops to a receptacle, and a conveyor carried by the support rearwardly of the cropremoving device for receiving the removed crops and delivering them to the elevator, means serving as a cradle suspended from the support for generally longitudinal movement with respect thereto, means connecting the elevator to the cradle for swinging movement relative thereto and to the support. and means for simultaneously swinging the elevator and lthe cradle in the same general direction, whereby translational movement is imparted to the elevator.

5. In an agricultural machine, in combination, a travelingsupport, a crop treating device mounted on the support for generally vertical movement with respect thereto, an elevator disposed rearwardly of the crop treating device for conveying treated"cr0ps upwardly and rearwardly, a receptacle attached to the support for material discharged from the elevator, means pivotally connecting the lower end of the elevator to the support for swinging movement of its upper end with respect thereto toward and all) away from the receptacle, a cylinder and piston on the support, means for supplying iluid under pressure to said cylinder to actuate the piston, means connecting the cylinder and piston to the crop treating device lto effect vertical movement thereof, and means connecting the cylinder and piston to said elevator to effect swinging movement thereof about its pivot during movement of the crop treating device.

JOHN W. ORENDORFF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 389,538 Baker Sept. 18, 1888 390,016 Gilmore Sept. 25, 1888 1,041,003 Binder Oct, 15, 1912 1,282,657 Tussing Oct. 22, 1918 1,813,967 Siemiana July 14, 1931 1,954,282 Cahall Apr. l0, 1934 2,060,688 Pryor Nov. 10, 1936 2,076,673 Roper Apr. 13, 1937 2,190,969 Adams Feb. 20, 1940 2,203,938 Barrett June 11, 1940 2,215,516 Schooler Sept. 24, 1940 2,293,757 Jochumsen Aug. 25, 1942 2,344,305 Hyman et al Mar. 14, 1944 2,368,353 Fulper Jan. 30, 1945 2,384,623 Kingsbury Sept. 11, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 426,247 France Apr. 27, 1911 137,468 Great Britain Jan. 15, 1920 OTHER REFERENCES Advertising Circular entitled Gar Wood Scrapers published January 1941 by Gar Wood Industries, Detroit, Michigan, Bulletin R162. 

